James Gray believes St Albans City need one more win to ensure survival in the Conference South but the Saints’ joint manager insists his players also need to make a statement ahead of next season.

City have a 13-point advantage over second bottom Farnborough and Gray believes another victory will guarantee their place in the division for next year. But the manager wants his team to finish with a flourish and claims his players have to show they deserve to be at the club next season.

Gray said: “No-one has ever gone down with the points we’re on in this league but I think another three points will keep us secure in the league.

“We are not taking anything for granted. We don't want to go through the motions and get stale. The boys are fighting for their futures. If they want to play for the club then they need to prove they should be back here next year. It’s a big club and I get inundated with players wanting to come here.”

The Saints boss has also set a target of winning another nine points over their remaining six matches.

Gray said: “I want us to get to 50 points this season which is another three wins. I want us to make a statement in our last six games and I would expect us to fare well.

“We have had an intense run of fixtures against sides at the top of the league. But now we have six games against teams in and around us that we feel we can take some positive results from.”

The Saints signed Stevenage winger Joseph N’Guessan on loan for a month on Monday.

The 19-year-old has made 18 appearances on loan at Aldershot Town this season, where he scored twice.

N’Guessan has come off the bench three times for Stevenage since returning to the Lamex Stadium. He also made five appearances for the side in League One last season.

N’Guessan was given the chance to impress in a behind closed doors friendly against Dunstable on Monday night.

“He is a young player who I’ve liked for a while,” Gray said. “I’ve seen him out on loan over the last year and he’s done well. He's played in the Conference Premier this season and Stevenage have high hopes for him and definitely expect him to feature in their first team next season.

“He will definitely add some speed and will predominantly play down the right. We will definitely try to utilise him and we have been crying out for some more pace in the side.

“It’s good we can offer him football because he probably wouldn’t have played much there this season. It’s also good for our young players that they can see his professionalism and aspire to match it.”

Saints midfielder David Keenleyside has joined Harpenden Town on loan for a month after a lack of first-team opportunities recently at Clarence Park.

Gray said: “He needed game time so it’s purely for him. I don’t like seeing players not in the team. You need to play and it’s no good at his age to be sitting on the bench. He is a real asset if he gets his head right and enjoys his football. But there’s no point sitting around and not playing football.”

The Saints host bottom side Staines Town this weekend but the manager is not taking anything for granted against a side which won 1-0 at leaders Bromley on Saturday.

Gray, who will be without midfielder James Comley who is on international duty with Montserrat, said: “Staines had a good victory but we hope that we can carry on from where we left off in our last match. They have had a tough time of it but by all accounts deserved their victory over Bromley.

“They are a good side and every team at the bottom can still beat the top sides as they showed.

“They are fighting for their lives and if we are not prepared for it properly then we could get a rude awakening.”